Humor can influence opinions

Our mind can be influenced by a wide variety of sources in order for us to take a stance on a specific issue. One way we can be impacted is through what we gain from various news sources, TV news, newspapers and the Internet. We can also be influenced by interacting with people that we know, like our peers, professors, family members and employers. Parody and satire could influence us, though we rarely consider it. If we occasionally examine an issue through a somewhat humorous outlet, we could view a situation in ways that we never thought of before.

Through satire, we are presented with an opinion or an issue in a humorous way. Humor can change the way we think about certain issues. And, for people that are not completely aware of a specific issue or incident, satire could provide a better understanding of what is going on.

One example of how satire brings awareness to the issues is the popular Comedy Central ‘fake’ news program “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” On this program, Stewart provides a humorous outlook on issues that involve both world affairs and pop culture. Such issues as the war in Iraq and terrorism are addressed through humor by using real footage and Stewart’s sharp wit. The program, at times, even parodies the way that television media covers events on network news and 24-hour cable news channels, usually by showing a montage of clips from coverage taken from actual news programs. The result is a rapid-fire lampoon on the entire news media and the way that the public views.

Satire on world events is also present on the Internet. Many Web sites take a humorous slant on the issues. One particular, “The Onion,” provides satire in a journalistic fashion. These articles offer a satirical outlook on recent -news. In the April 13 edition, a piece was posted that joked that the Pope’s spirit is disappointed with the look of heaven, saying that the landscape looks nothing like the jewel-encrusted d